Rivals
by Edelin
Summary: Companion Fic to Bandage. Where Itachi and Sasuke have to face the truth and the lies between them while Hinata finds herself in the middle of that very difficult attempt for the two Brothers to restore their relationship.
1. Chapter 1

Hello everyone. This is a companion fic of my oneshot Bandage. It initially was supposed to be an oneshot fic too but it came out to long so it will be a two part or three part fic. I hope everyone will like it. I am sorry for taking so much ti,e but I really wasn't satisfied with how it came (still am not actually) so I tried to make it better but I fear I haven't. Also, no one's has checked it so all mistakes are mine. If someone feels up to being a beta reader and correcting, I'd be gratefull. XD

This is also part of my unoficial attempt to complete the 50_shinobi challenge and this particular story is inspired by theme 41: Rivals

**Disclaimer:** Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, not me obviously. XD

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><p>Itachi woke up two hours later, he rolled to his left and noticed that he was not alone; Hinata was sitting on the chair next to his bed. He raised his hand trying to catch her attention without talking. He touched somehow her shoulder and she reacted immediately to his touch.<p>

"Itachi?" she asked and took his hand into hers. He hesitated before squeezing slightly her hand with his. "What is it?" Her tone was concerned, a fact that for a reason made him insanely happy and illogically. Why did those feelings occur around her?

"Tell me." he simply said and she looked confused at him. He was upset as she understood and the reason of his behavior right now was due to that.

"Tell you what?" she asked confused.

Itachi didn't speak for a moment and he let go of her hand feeling now irrationally sad. Why did he expect that she should have understood what he thought? It wasn't like they knew each other that well. But he felt nearly betrayed by her ignorance. For a moment he debated whether he should explain himself, wait for her to understand or just let the matter pass by. But honestly he couldn't do it. Even if he had tried to keep his mind away from the past, he couldn't forget it. And he couldn't also forget that until very, very recently Sasuke was the center of his life. He was ready to die for him. He had to know. Whatever he told her, it must have been something connected to him and not Hinata. So he took a big breath as he was turning his head to his right, "My brother" he said softly. This made Hinata gasp and jump up.

"Oh yes! Of course! I didn't tell you yet?" she exclaimed and placed her hand on his as she sat, nearly lay next to him. It was weird… but enjoyable at the same time. She was warm and it had been sometime since he had been in a bed with someone. And her tone, it betrayed her enthusiasm, so something good was going to happen. Something good about Sasuke. "He asked to meet you!" she said and nearly giggled in happiness. Itachi at first didn't know how to react to that. True, he had inwardly wished that for once Sasuke would take the initiative for their relationship. He wouldn't blame his brother if he didn't ever take it but from the moment he woke up that day and realized that maybe, just maybe life would get better for him, he had been in such a selfish mood which he didn't want anyone to spoil. It was actually surprising that his foolish little brother wanted something like a meeting. Did he know the truth? Had someone told him even though he had asked not to.

Hinata quieted down seeing that he was not happy as she had wanted him to be. What if she had made a mistake and he didn't want to see him? What if instead of getting closer, they got even further away? Something was making Itachi keep a distance with Sasuke after all. What if things went ugly and beyond repair because she had involved herself in businesses that were not hers. What if…

"When?" he questioned after a moment and put an end to Hinata's inner turmoil. Maybe he wasn't that against it, just not sure how he should feel.

"Sometime tomorrow" she told him and sat again on the chair. "He said that he wants this meeting to take place only if you want." she added after a moment giving him the opening to back away in case she had assumed incorrectly about his desire.

He shook his head and sighed. "No, it should take place. Actually, it should have taken place weeks now but I allowed myself to become so selfish these past few weeks that I forgot my duties and responsibilities." he muttered slowly more to himself than to Hinata. "I owe him an explanation, at least". He paused for a moment before asking something else. "Will we be alone?" He honestly didn't want to have people listening to their first conversation after so many years. The last conversation they actually had took place before the massacre.

At this question Hinata paused and hesitated. She knew that she had to tell him she would be present and admit her involvement but she felt slightly afraid to do that. He wouldn't hurt her; she knew that after being with him for so long. Her fear was that she would have disappointed him, she would lose his trust. It was stupid of hers to think that way; they weren't that close after all but she wanted to please him. The better she got to know him, the more she wanted to be close to him. It was so selfish of her but somehow, he had become the center of her life and she felt important by that, by being the only one who took care of him. She had been a disgrace, a failure to her father, her clan, to everything in a way that seemed important. She wouldn't stand it if she became a failure to him as well. "Not exactly…"she started. He tensed at that. "Your brother re..requested my… my presence." she blurted out while she looked on the floor. He didn't speak but she heard the change in his breathing, it became sharper, frequented and more uneasy, he was annoyed. She was certain of that as she watched him clench his hands. "At least in the beginning of the conversation." she added in a futile attempt to calm him down.

Itachi was annoyed by what she had just told him because of two things. One they would not be alone, they would be watched and their personal conversation would be also for someone else to hear, even if that someone else was his medic. And the other reason, which surprisingly was the basic cause of his irritation, was that Sasuke had asked HIS Hinata to be present. Why? Did they know each other? If yes, then how well? It would be perfectly logical if that pink haired medic was asked to be there since she was Sasuke's old team mate and his medic now but Hinata was his medic. Suddenly a thought passed his mind. How did Sasuke know that Hinata was his medic and he had asked previously her especially? They must have had a meeting then before the one yesterday… or they were close and he didn't know it.

"Do you know my brother personally?" he asked before he could control himself. What had happened to him? Why did he react so emotionally around her all the time? Where was Uchiha Itachi, the merciless shinobi? It was like he was changing bit by bit everyday he spent with her, getting closer to her. And the feelings he felt made no sense. He had never been so possessive of anyone in his life, of anything actually. A part of him also felt a sting of jealously at the idea of Sasuke and Hinata being close, talking, her taking care of him, changing his bandage, of all the things she actually did for him out of duty. That was the sad truth; she was there because of her duty, for he was a job, a patient. He didn't like the idea of them being close and him alone.

"No, actually our first conversation took place two days ago." she informed him. She paused and he sensed her nervousness. She must had done something. Suddenly everything made sense. Hinata wanted them to meet and talk, try to get along, forget the past and restore their relationship.

"You set up that meeting?" he said to her slightly annoyed. She guiltily looked down and touched slightly his hand. He slowly took it into his and lifted it a little trying to feel it and imagine how it would be. Hinata, taken aback by his actions, allowed him to do that and moved a little closer to him. She felt warm and content, somehow she was fully accepted by Itachi. No one had ever done that to her, not even her father. He took her hands and placed them on his face, a tear escaped and ran down his face. At the site of him crying, she felt such a strong sting of pain and immediately whipped it touching his face with her hand.

"I'm sorry I made you sad" she husked and tried to take her hands away from him but he held them on his face.

"Don't." he whispered. "You have never hurt me." He pressed her hands on his face and slightly smiled. "I like your hands, they are very beautiful." Hinata blushed at his comment and smiled awkwardly at him.

"You can't even see them." she whispered and took a big breath ready to cry from happiness.

He shook his head and let go of them "I don't need to" he answered.

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><p>To say that Itachi was nervous was an understatement. He was very close to panicking right now and just jump out of the window to avoid Sasuke. It was stupid really; this wasn't him. He didn't panic or let emotions overrule his judgment. Somehow though today he was acting like that. Hinata had tried to reassure him that everything would work out and that since Sasuke wanted that meeting, it must mean that he wanted an answer. "To try to understand you and your actions Itachi" she had said. (After their little scene concerning how beautiful her hands were to him, they silently decided to use each other's first name.) Was it possible for Sasuke to comprehend why he did what he did? Most Uchihas wouldn't and Sasuke was a lot like most Uchihas. He considered the clan to be above everything. He believed of course that their clan was good and loyal to the village, the excellent example of being a ninja. In terms of strength and war, they were but in terms of peace, loyalty and cooperation they weren't. He had briefly discussed that with Hinata and after he voiced this exact argument of his, she told him that they weren't the only ones at fault since the village had not trusted them so they could trust it back. They shunned them and pushed them away only to use them for war. If they had been treated differently, they wouldn't have a reason to rebel.<p>

A knock was heard and the elder Uchiha tensed. He took a big breath as Hinata along with Sasuke entered the room. "Itachi." Sasuke said in an emotionless tone.

"Sasuke" Hinata lead the younger brother to a chair close to Itachi and she leaned to a wall as far away as possible to give them their much needed privacy. For a couple of uneasy minutes, they were both silent and Hinata felt the tension between them. One of them had to make the first move towards each other but it seemed that none of them was willing to throw away his pride. She looked away and caressed her neck.

Sasuke raised his eyes and looked at his brother intently. "So now you've lost both your family and your eyes." he muttered and trembled from the anger he felt. Everything happened because Itachi wanted to _test_ his eyes and _now _he had lost them. He wanted to let loose and hurt him, do something to ease him from the emptiness he felt from the moment he understood that nothing was over. No, that wasn't the problem and the cause of his emptiness; it was the realization he had, for the few moments he believed Itachi was dead, that he wasn't happy and had nothing to live for. His second goal, to revive the clan, was so invisible to him. He looked at his brother hatefully again; without him, he was totally alone and lost. Even after everything that had happened, Sasuke was still depended on Itachi and that thought infuriated him to no end.

"Sasuke" Itachi said and tried to get up, to go closer to his brother and eliminate the distance between them. Hinata moved to help him while Sasuke reflexively got up and got into a battle stance.

Seeing how things were turning out to be, gathering her courage, she touched Sasuke's shoulder and felt him tense because of her touch but stay still. "Uchiha-san, please sit down." she told him and rubbed his shoulder slightly "Itachi is not going to do anything to you." she turned to the elder brother smiling "Isn't that right, Itachi?"

Sasuke turned and looked at her with the corner of his eyes and suddenly moved away from her touch. He sat down and waited for Hinata to move away. "Why did you say those words before you collapsed?" he asked in a low tone.

Itachi opened his mouth to speak but no sound came out. He took a big breath and tightened his fists in an attempt to force himself to speak. "They were the truth." he finally managed to say clearly uncomfortable. What was happening to him? He was losing his personality day by day, becoming soft and hesitating. He had never hesitated after the clan's massacre.

Sasuke shook his head violently and glared at his brother. "No! No!" he got up from his seat and trembling from anger approached his brother. "You lied to me from the beginning. These words were part of your ploy, your act." he looked at Hinata. "You've fooled her as well, making her think you are a good person but lost or I don't know what she thinks of you" he looked at his brother again and raised his hand to hit him. "You don't deserve to live as I don't deserve to be depended on you to live. For the past days I have been like shit, even before I learned you were alive. Do you know why?" When Itachi didn't answer, he grabbed him from his shirt and shook him. "My life is empty because you are the only thing that has existed in it for the past eight years!"

Sasuke trembled with anger and looked away from his elder brother. Hinata, feeling sorry for him and guilty because she made them meet, walked slowly and silently closer to him and touched his shoulder. Immediately he went a step back and glared at her. They kept staring at each other and Hinata could feel her heart beating loudly inside her chest.

"You…" he said and raised his hand close to her face, without touching her. He slowly shook his head and let his hand fall down. He gave his brother a last look and marched towards the door, ready to leave and never return.

Itachi sat up and took a big breath. "There are things you don't know, Sasuke." he said and tried to get up, to show his brother, that despite his state of blindness, they were equals and his baby brother shouldn't underestimate him as an opponent. Hinata ran to his side to help him but he gently pushed her away and slowly got up on his own. Sasuke stood at the door, his hand ready to open it. "Would you like to learn about them?"

Sasuke turned to look at his brother with a suspicious expression. "Lies." he muttered. He looked at Hinata and shook his head. "All he told you is lies. He did it so you will trust him and become easy to use. But he won't need you forever… He will betray you."

Hinata opened her mouth slightly and left Itachi's side. "It's not lies, Sasuke-san."

"It is." he insisted in anger.

"It's not." Itachi said. 'But it's a very unpleasant truth… equally unpleasant with the lies I had told you that night." he said calmly. He wasn't angry at his Sasuke's stubbornness. He just was tired and wanted the truth - or at least some of it - to come out and then he could go rest. He could go and try, although he didn't really deserve it, to start over somehow.

And deep down, he wanted his brother back. The boy who idolized him and asked him to train him whenever he had time – only that Itachi never had time then and it was already too late when he realized how limited their, Sasuke and Itachi's, time was.

Very late.

…But perhaps something, somehow, could be done now and they could get along… Sasuke wasn't a kid anymore, he was older and much more complex now, but he was still his brother, the only family member he valued enough to risk his village's safety.

Sasuke stared at him with an angry look and slowly opened the door while shaking his head. "Lies." he repeated and then looked one more time at Hinata, giving her an angry glare that made her look at the floor. She always did find the younger Uchiha intimidating, unable to understand why the rest of her female classmates at the Academy were so obsessed with him.

Itachi sat on the bed again and let his head fall back. He slowly searcher for Hinata's body and after a while he felt her hand take his and hold it. "I'm sorry." she apologized to him in a calm and sad voice and he could feel that she was ready to cry. She was such a sensitive little creature.

The dark haired male didn't like it. He uncharacteristically felt the need to somehow comfort the young medic and desired to further their physical touching.

He could hug her and let his arms roan over her smaller form, while he lay her beneath him and he could enjoy her body's warmth to its fullest. Or just move his hand to her body and be able to guess how she looked like, have a slight idea of her appearance. If the rest of her body was as well made as her hands and soft skin, then Itachi had a feeling, he'd really like the rest of her body as well.

He squeezed her hand, knowing that these type of thoughts were not permitted; Hinata was the closest thing he had, right now, to a friend, and he didn't want to lose that because he couldn't control his manly needs.

Plus, she deserved someone that could look at her that was not blind and did not need a nurse for nearly everything he had to do. Hinata deserved a husband, not a patient for the rest of her life. He had started to care for the Hyuuga woman to the point that her needs and her future were more important than his urges.

"Don't be sorry, Hinata." he told her in a low voice, trying to hide what he was currently thinking. "I know Sasuke well enough to be sure that sooner or later, he will come to ask about the truth… even if he rejects it at the end."

"Again, Itachi, I…I was the one wh…who insi..sisted when maybe you wer…weren't ready…" she stuttered. Although she had made vast progress with her self-confidence, there were still times that she couldn't talk straight. Times that she was very emotional, like this one.

"We'd never be ready, Hinata." he interrupted her and let go of her hand as he slowly lay down and covered himself with his blanket. He felt her shifting the blanket a bit more, making sure he would be warm and light running a hand on his face and through his hair.

She silently marched towards the door until his voice stopped her. "Hinata?"

"Mm?"

"If my brother calls you, please inform me."

Hinata smiled at that and nodded. "Sure." She opened the door and slowly walked out of the room. "Rest Itachi" she whispered against the closed door and closed her eyes tiredly.

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><p>Sasuke was lying on his hospital bed, glaring outside of the window. It was a beautiful, summer day with a bright blue sky and a warm sun.<p>

He didn't like it. He didn't like how the world around him was so cheerful, so ignorant of his pain.

A pain that was caused by none other but his own brother, his own blood. The only human being in the world left to be called family. He hated that.

He hated Itachi for stealing everything, for ruining everything and he hated himself too. Because the few hours Sasuke had the feeling that he had killed Itachi there was joy but also emptiness because he had no dreams for the future, no purpose.

He did want to restore his clan but that was a very general plan with many aspects, he found unappealing.

Like finding a woman to restore the clan. Doing all the necessary steps to restore the clan – that he had to admit may not be totally unpleasant – and staying at the village. He'd have to be with Naruto and Sakura again and he would have to do annoying, stupid missions. The young Uchiha was not sure if he wanted that.

The only thing he actually wanted to do was lie down and face the ceiling in complete silence, uncaring about what happens to the world around him. He wanted to just look at the white wall until one day, he'd just wake up and find something to do.

But with Itachi alive still…. He hadn't fulfilled his basic life-goal; to kill the murdered of his clan, who had somehow convinced everyone around him that he was not what he really was.

"Stupid" he mumbled and turned to face the door of his room.

Everyone was stupid in the village for believing his lies. They should have let him die, not cure him and give him the Hyuuga for a medic.

While he was stuck with Sakura, his annoying teammate that believed could understand how he felt and make him feel better.

Why couldn't he have gotten the only girl that wasn't in love with him? Sasuke was sure that Sakura wouldn't behave fangirlish to Itachi.

…. And if she did, then Itachi would suffer, something that wasn't such a bad idea.

But NO! The Hyuuga, the silent, nearly acceptable to be around Hyuuga was Itachi's nurse. How was that fair?

He didn't particularly like the girl but he knew he was safe with her because of her undying love for Naruto. The only girl in the village that preferred Naruto's sunny, over-happy and energetic character than his, Sasuke's looks. The girl had some problems for sure - otherwise why did she prefer Naruto - but her problem was not bothering him… it just made him wonder.

The fact that she had so loyally stuck to his brother's side, so devotedly tried to help him and convince Sasuke that Itachi was not who he thought he was, that they should try to forget the past, only made him angrier at her.

And convinced him that she had a big problem along with her obvious stupidity.

He let out a frustrated sigh and looked at the door…

Could she really be so easily fooled? Or did she really know something he didn't? And if there was something he didn't know…

…did he want to learn it?

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><p>Hinata stood outside of the younger Uchiha's door, wondering if it was wise of her to get involved like that again. She had already done it once and it didn't end well. She didn't want to cause an even bigger rift between the two brothers or make Itachi feel that she is not worthy of his trust.<p>

His opinion mattered.

She didn't know why or when it started to matter on such a personal lever but it did. A lot. She didn't wish to destroy her relationship with him.

She looked at the door again and slowly walked back and turned away walking towards Itachi's room. She smiled and entered the room to find him sleeping.

She felt her smile becoming softer and gentler, she felt herself drawn to him. His face. He had such a beautiful face. She walked slowly towards him and sat at his side without touching him.

Although he seemed calm and serene when he slept, she knew that his sleep was troubled. It was just because of some light, sudden moves like his eyebrow twitching or his finger moving. He was an amazing shinobi, he covered what he thought and felt even during his sleep.

Had he ever opened up to anyone after the massacre? Had he ever been himself without feeling that the people around him would hurt him, would want, perhaps, to take advantage of him?

She slowly raised her hand and caressed his head and soft hair. The few who knew the whole truth about the massacre thought that she felt pity over him and his life, but that wasn't truth. She felt admiration, a different kind of admiration than the one she had for Naruto.

It was difficult to explain but she felt like she had to take care of Itachi, that their places in life could have been the same; she was the heiress of a clan and she could have been forced to choose between her clan and the village, if her clan planned to overthrow her Hokage.

If that ever happened, if that had ever happened, she would have chosen like Itachi.

At least she hoped she would have the courage to do that.

Someone knocked on the door interrupting her thoughts. She turned her head and as she was ready to take her hand away from Itachi's head, his hands held her and placed her hand on his face. Was he awake? And if yes, why hadn't he said anything? She must have woken him up with her presence….

Or he woke up because of the door knock…

The door knock! She turned her head again at the door, without moving her hand and smiled a bit. "Yes?"

The door opened and Sakura came in with a weird expression on her face, one that nearly screamed at Hinata dislike, an expression the pink-haired medic had never directed at the Hyuuga. What could she have done to make the medic feel so angry with her?

"Sasuke wants to see you, Hinata." She said and it was easy to tell for her tone that she was indeed annoyed by Sasuke's request. Hinata didn't blame her; she had spent so many years trying to find him, had tried so hard to approach him and the Uchiha didn't even talk to her politely while he sought Hinata.

Even though he sought her for Itachi.

But Sakura didn't know that and it was logical for her to feel suspicious over her and Sasuske's relationship.

"Ok." She said to the other girl, who gave one last look at her and Itachi, noticing her hand caressing him and left. Hinata turned at the Uchiha next to her and slowly took her hand away from him. "I…" she started but he raised his hand and placed it close to her mouth, in an attempt to silence her.

"Did you go to talk to him again?" he queried.

Hinata shook her head and then mumbled softly "No." she bit lip, feeling suddenly very warm inside as Itachi's hand went down to her neck and then left her feel cold at the places he had touched her. "I thought to do it but…" she stuttered. Taking a big breath, she managed to control herself and continue. "But I was afraid that you wouldn't like if I did anything and it wasn't really my business so…"

"So?" he asked after she had stopped talking.

"So I didn't do anything because I didn't want to lose your trust." She finished, feeling as the moments passed stiff and nervous, extremely anxious about his reaction.

It had been so long since someone could affect so much, since someone's opinion of her mattered so much.

She didn't want to lose Itachi. They weren't friends or anything special but she didn't want to lose her place in his life. She didn't want someone else to take care of him, she realized feeling nearly possessive of the man next to her.

"I won't go…" she started saying with a trembling voice, "If you don't want me to, Itachi."

He sat up and touched hand. "Really?"

She nodded as she took his hand with her own. "Really." They sat like that for a few moments without talking, just holding hands.

"Go." He said to her after a while. "You should go."

Hinata tightened her hold of his hand and got up. She smiled at him and relaxed as he slowly let go of her hand. "I'll be back." She promised him and paced slowly towards the door.

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><p>So that's the first part. I know it seems like a repeat of what happened before but I promise I will do my best to spice it up.. so don't give it up now.<p>

Also... **Attention here please!** I am trying to ressurect a LJ community about this couple by hosting a writting challenge for this couple. We don't have so many fics about it and that's actually why people bothered to read my fic, because of the few fics there are compared to other couples so I thought I should do something to bring more fics. I know that sometimes you may want to write but not be confident in your ideas or in your ability... so it is always a nice way to start writing because of a challenge because it gives you a basic idea about how to start a story... Do I make sense?

Anyway... if you are interested you will find it at my profile the link about some challenge ideas I have, please go there and tell me if you are interested or if you have more ideas or anything related to Itahina... also this may be a writing challenge but artists could help by creating banners or even better an artwork for the winner of the challenge inspired by his work... but even if we don't find an artist to do anything, I don't think it really matters since Fanfiction is fiction made of FANS for FUN. XD Thus we have to write a disclaimer in all chapters and stories.

A review would be nice too...if you are not tired by reading all of the above mumbling I wrote. XD

Have a good day!


	2. Chapter 2

Hello everyone! Sorry it took so long for this to finish. This chapter is not beta-read so I apologize for all mistakes that exist within it

**Disclaimer:** Naruto doesn't belong to me.

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><p>Sasuke was standing when Hinata entered his room. He seemed a bit anxious about something and that… sudden emotional display of his on his face scared her.<p>

And fascinated her too; She had always wondered how Sasuke would be if he was more… natural. More relaxed when it came to what he thought and felt.

"Sasuke-san?" she called him in a low voice. The young man locked his eyes with hers and the Hyuuga felt her heart beat faster just because of his eyes. They… they were telling her something, something he couldn't hide but she didn't know it… yet.

And if she had a choice… she'd never find it out.

She walked a bit closer to him and smiled softly. "You wan..nted to.. to see me?" she trailed feeling incredibly nervous because of his hard stare.

He didn't say anything. He didn't move, just looked at her like he was trying to find something by just looking at her. He slowly moved closer to her and Hinata flinched but managed to remain still and not take a step back. It wouldn't be wise to make him feel that she was afraid of him or that she didn't want to be here… she had to try and communicate with him somehow.

And then she could get away from the room.

He came in front of her but made sure they has enough distance so they wouldn't touch each other but still close enough that she felt his body warmth and breath on her skin. "What has he done to you?" he murmured and she looked confused at him. "Why do you believe what he says?" he asked her again and then looked away again. "Why do you all believe his lies? Why did you let him stay alive?" his voice tone rose the more he spoke and his endless anger started leaking out. "Tell me! Why do you believe what he says? Why do you try so hard to protect him and take care of him? What has he told you? What has he done to you to believe him?"

Hinata raised her hands and touched him lightly on the shoulders, trying to calm him down. Sasuke tensed immediately and went a step back looking at her with an accusing look for wanting to touch him. "I am not going to hurt you, Sasuke-san." She took a breath and bravely went closer to him. "No one wants to hurt you. Please understand that."

He trembled for a moment out of anger, fear or too many emotions he couldn't name. "Then why is he alive? Why do you take care of him?"

"Because things are not as you think they are." She replied.

Sasuke suddenly grabbed her hand and pushed her at the closest wall, trapping her with his body. "Why do you believe him? Why do you not see that he is not what he seems to be?" he asked hit his head at the wall, right above the crook of her neck. Then suddenly he jumped away from her.

He didn't move for a second and then he went some more steps back and looked away from her. "Get out." He ordered in a low voice.

Hinata, still shocked by their previous position and unable to process what had happened and his words looked at him and then at the door. She was ready to leave when she suddenly stopped and turned to face the young Uchiha. "Why did you call me here, Sasuke-san?" she asked once more.

He glared at her with anger and clenched his fists. "Get out!"

"Why did you call me here?"

He didn't answer and like a small child turned his back at her so he wouldn't have to look at her. Hinata sighed and crossed her arms at her chest. "You know, Sasuke-san? Your brother is better than you." Sasuke tensed at that and suddenly his killing intent filled the room and Hinata felt her heart skip a beat out of fear. "He is so much more honest with himself than you." She turned her back and paced to the door. "It's not me you should call to talk to, Sasuke-san, but yourself. And when you do that, you'll come to listen to what your brother has to say."

She got out of the room and started walking towards Itachi's room.

XXX

Itachi let the breath he didn't know he was holding, when Hinata entered the room. He didn't say anything but waited for her to talk to him. He heard her move closer to the bed, sitting on the chair next to the bed, sighing and he suddenly felt a warmth wash over him as she leaned closer to him.

He sat up a bit, bringing his face closer to hers and suddenly felt his body tense at their proximity until she leaned back.

None of them spoke for a second. "He is very confused." Hinata said to him in a low tone.

"What happened?" he queried.

Hinata took a small breath to calm herself and narrated to the older Uchiha what happened from the beginning with Sasuke's sudden emotional display up until her last words to him. Itachi didn't interrupt her while she spoke but that didn't mean he wasn't affected by what he said.

For some reason, Sasuke was deeply disturbed that Itachi and Hinata were getting along. Only that he didn't want to admit it and tried to find fault in everything so he would somehow justify himself for whatever he was thinking and feeling. To blame the environment for making him be like that.

"Do you think I shouldn't have said to him those last words?" she asked him but before he could reply, she got up and started walking a bit around the room nervous. "I didn't want to meddle and make things worse but I just… just can't stand it that he thinks like that about you when you've done so many things for him." She turned and stared at Itachi for a second. "That he doesn't even give you a chance." she murmured. He didn't say anything for a moment.

"Do you hate me?"

He wasn't expecting such a question. Did he hate her? How could he? How could she think that he could hate her? How could anyone her? He suddenly wanted to get up and go close to her, do something that he didn't want to want to do. And without realizing it, he was up at his feet and started walking towards the direction he had heard her voice come from. Before he could make another step, he felt her hands on his body, holding his arms, her body touching his…

And he suddenly became very aware of what he really wanted to do with her, to her. He bit his tongue to control his sudden desire to bring her closer to him and push her at the bed and crawl upon her and "see" her body, explore it with his hands.

"Itachi?" he heard her say. "What happened?"

He shook his head and went a step back, finding with his hand the bed and slowly laying down on it. "Nothing."

She came closer to him, fixing the blanket over his body. "Why did you get up like that?" she asked him.

_You could have hurt yourself._

She couldn't say that to him though. He wouldn't like it because he didn't want people around him to act like he was incapable of taking care of himself.

Even if that was true. He would need some time to truly be able to take care of his body and manage to live in a completely dark world. Void of colors and shapes. His eyes now had become his hands and it would take some time to learn to use them.

"No." he suddenly told her pulling her out of her thoughts.

No? No, what? "No to what?" Softly asked she.

He didn't reply immediately but after a moment she heard him murmur in a nearly shy, uncomfortable tone, one that didn't suit the Mighty Uchiha Itachi. "I don't hate you." he clarified.

"Oh…" she smiled lightly at him. "I am glad you don't."

"Don't ever ask me that question." he told her in a firm and ordering tone of anger.

Hinata sensed the sudden change of his mood and fidgeted slightly as she tried to find the right words to answer.

"I am sorry." she murmured.

_That an answer with the right words. Well done Hinata._

She really was stupid. Really didn't know how to keep her cool and think when she had to.

Her answer seemed to anger him more, she felt him tense and saw his hands clench and unclench. What had she said to make him so upset?

XXX

Sakura entered Sasuke's room with Naruto behind her. Their old teammate and friend hadn't spoken to them since he came to Konoha. Every time one of them went to visit him, he had a blank, expressionless face and never reacted to anything they said.

Sakura, admitted to herself, that she had given up on him.

If he hadn't called Hinata those two times, if she hadn't heard him react so strongly to the young Hyuuga earlier, she would continue to think that he was permanently emotionally damaged.

Somehow though Hinata – _sweet, little _Hinata – made him come back to the world of the living.

At first the pink haired woman thought that it was because Hinata was a link to his brother but she wasn't so sure anymore. It certainly played a role but Sakura suspected that the younger Uchiha had connected Hinata to something else and that's why he "craved" her company, calling her and then sending her away.

The medic was certain that Sasuke would ask her again soon. For some reason…

Sakura looked at Naruto behind and the two shinobi paced slowly inside the room to find Sasuke not lying on the bed like the previous times they had visited him but standing next to the window. At first, they didn't say anything and just looked at him. Then he turned to look at them.

And he glared at them.

It was the first time that Sakura felt so happy that someone glared at her; it was a sign that he was in a way coming back… and he was _Sasuke_… it was the usual for him to glare at people.

Naruto smiled at the raven and walked confidently toward him. "Hey Sasuke! Got tired of lying around? You must have gotten soft after sleeping all that time."

"Hn" Sasuke didn't say anything else to Naruto's comment and completely ignored the blond. Instead he fixed his gaze on Sakura. "When can I start training again?"

Sakura didn't expect him to ask her so bluntly although she expected him to ask her something like that – if he was going to talk to her ever. "Um… You are still not fully recovered but I think you could do some light training…" she looked sternly at Naruto "But NO sparing!" she turned at Sasuke and her face softened a bit "I will do daily check ups on you to make sure that you are not overdoing it though… you are still… weak." she finished in a low voice. She knew how much Sasuke hated being called weak, even if that was the truth.

Sasuke nodded and after a moment walked and lay on the bed without saying anything. Naruto looked at Sakura who sat next on the chair next to the bed and then the blond haired man leaned on wall and stared at the Uchiha.

There was a very uncomfortable silence between the three until, to the other two's surprise Sasuke broke it. "Is the Hyuuga…_his_ only medic?"

"Hinata?" asked Naruto. Sasuke nodded and eyed the blond boy carefully.

"Yes." Sakura answered; irritated slightly that Hinata was what they were talking about.

Sasuke eyed Naruto with a raised eyebrow. He had never wondered before why the Hyuuga liked the blond. He remembered the way she had looked at his brother when she thought he wasn't looking at her, and the way she reacted at the morning, although she wasn't blushing or fading like she used to do with Naruto, he could see the same look in her eyes…. That betrayed an undying admiration.

Could the Hyuuga be in love with his brother or did she still crave the Nine-tails jinchouricki?

To that answer, Sasuke found himself, determine to find the answer… he had after all too much free time and the girl could prove a useful link to his brother.

The young Uchiha gave another look at Sakura and then just closed his eyes.

Women were idiots for feeling so much.

XXX

Hinata was ready to say something else but was interrupted by someone knocking the door. She turned and saw Uzumaki Naruto, her long time crush, enter with his usual bright smile. Her heart beat started beating wildly and all the stress she had before because of Itachi was forgotten as she smiled at the young man and got up.

"Naruto-kun." she greeted him and blushed slightly.

Naruto scratched the back of his head as he eyed for a moment Itachi that stayed still and just waited to hear out the rest of the interaction of the two young shinobi. The blond man then turned at Hinata and smiled at her. "Hello Hinata-chan," and then after a moment of thought he added "Itachi"

"Hello Naru..ru...t..to-kun. How ar..re yo..you?" she said stammering uncontrollably once again. She inwardly slapped herself. Hadn't she worked so hard to not be weak, inspired by him? She had to act as brave as possible when she was near him.

"I am fine, thank you." he said and looked at Itachi once again. "Umm… I wanted to tell you something… ask you actually."

Hinata felt her heart stop for a moment. "Yes?"

Naruto gave one more look at Itachi and then at Hinta…."Emm… I want us to talk alone about that, if you don't mind." He muttered at her and she nodded, blushing hard.

"My shift ends in one hour so if it's not something very simple, we can talk about it after I finish…" she looked at Itachi and then at Naruto "but if it's urgent, we can go talk about it no outside of the room." She managed to say calmly without stuttering at all and smiled in pride when she finished.

"Oh…" Naruto said… "Ok then, later after you finish… We can go eat at Ichiraku as we talk since I am hungry." He added as an afterthought.

"I..if…. you want, Naruto kun, you can go start eating and I'll come find you there once my shift is over… yo..you don't..t… have to wait here for me."

Naruto smiled widely at her and nodded. "That's a great idea Hinata! I'll go talk to Granny for a moment and then go to Ichiraku and wait for you." He said as he started leaving.

"See you later Naruto-kun!"

"See ya." He said and closed the door behind him.

Hinata took a big breath and turned with a huge smile on her face at Itachi who was still and with still a quite angry face. His fists were tightly clenched and she heard his breathing being a bit too quick.

"Itachi?" she asked and went close to him. She softly touched his arm and the man nearly jumped up at her touch. This alarmed her immediately. "Are you still mad about before?"

He didn't answer and she tried again to touch him. This time he didn't pull away but she felt him tense under her touch. What was wrong? What had she done to make him feel so uncomfortable with her?

"Itachi?" she asked concerned.

"No." he told her. "It's not about before."

"Then what?"

Itachi didn't say anything at that. "You can go now… you don't have to stay here until your shift is over."

"No… it's all right." She told him.

"But you don't want to stay." He nearly barked at her. This stunned the both of them. He had never been so unable to control his reactions… this woman was affecting him in a way that perhaps was not as good as it appeared to be. She was making him weak.

Hinata took a big breath and went a step back. "Do you want to be alone?"

Itachi knew the answer to that question. After all those years of being completely alone, without anyone to be close to him and have an actual relationship with, he didn't want to be alone. But he also didn't want her with him now… not when she wanted so much to run after the Uzumaki.

"Yes." He finally told her.

Hinata nodded in understanding and paced slowly towards the door. "Rest well." She told him before closing the door and suddenly she felt sadder than she ever remembered feeling. Even the idea of spending time with Naruto – of nearly being in a date with him – wasn't enough to make her feel better.

XXX

Itachi heard the door close and slowly allowed his body to relax. That encounter was unsettling. Not that he had a reason to be unsettled but he didn't have to lie to himself.

No, that was true. He shouldn't lie to himself.

He craved the girl. He wanted her in a way he had never wanted anyone. And after the previous events of the day, he was sure that he didn't only want her friendship and company. He didn't act the way he did out of gratitude but because he wanted her.

If he could just give in that morning…

But the Hyuuga seemed to be interested in another man and it seemed that the boy was responding to her. Itachi didn't blame the Uzumaki; who wouldn't want someone as affectionate and caring and gentle as Hinata… especially Naruto that was always alone, with no parents, he would gain both a lover and a substitute mother in Hinata.

Hell… he also felt like a child to be taken care of with her…. And he had had a mother, the most affectionate mother in the world… only that he had stopped letting her act that way with him since he was very young…

But with Hinata… he wanted her to do all the things a mother would do – caress, kiss, hug, support… even hold him at his sleep at time – but also so much more that a mother wouldn't do.

He admitted to himself that he had thought that the girl was perhaps somehow interested in him beyond friendship… she had spent so much time with him, had been so protective of him with Sasuke… she had told him that he was very important in her life and she didn't want him to be angry with her.

Could all that be platonic interest?

And she had touched him quite a bit, even if it was a brush or just touching him a little more after she changed his bandages.

Why did she do all that, if she wasn't interested?

Not even a tiny bit?

Itachi closed his eyes, feeling angry again and tried to go to sleep so he wouldn't have to feel that confusion inside his head but it was a nearly impossible task… his thought was fixed on the possible scenarios of how Hinata's 'date' with the blond boy could go.

That woman was certainly a bad influence on him. A very bad and dangerous one.

* * *

><p>I have to admit that this took so long because it was really difficult to write it... I really was unsure about the plot and how the characters should react and to be honest, I am not satisfied with the result but because I felt that I should update something after such a long time, I updated this. I hope you will find it at least enjoyable.<p>

I promise to all of you that I will try to update another chapter before the end of 2011 or at least in the very beginning (early January) of 2012... but all encouragements, **thoughts about the future chapters**and opinions are always helpful in finding motivation to write, don't forget that. I really want to know what you think...

Thank you for reading! Have a good day!

Edelin


	3. Chapter 3

SO LOOOONG time since I last updated. Life has been so busy, I lost touch with fanfiction and a lot, lot, lot more. But I recently got a great review/PM by someone and remembered that I had half written than chapter so I thought I should at the very least finish it and upload it. I cannot promise that I will update soon more (although it is a possibility) because I am just busy writing other things and working and life in general. But for whoever might still be interested in this story, enjoy this new installment.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto.

* * *

><p>This was getting out of control.<p>

_He _was getting out of control.

Ever since that awkward moment when Naruto asked Hinata to go eat with him, he had been constantly thinking about it. Like there was nothing more important to think, nothing more important to deal with but that… _date._

That woman was growing on him too much.

Too much for someone that was not going to stay around.

Itachi sighed and folded his arms over his chest with a serious expression on his face.

It had been a long time since he was that angry. Since he was angry that way.

For a _female._

Itachi didn't like it. He had lived for such a long time alone and independent of people that he found his current emotional situation unacceptable.

But that didn't change anything. He still couldn't stop thinking of Hinata and Naruto together.

This was bad. This was _very_ bad.

He _shouldn't _spend so much time thinking about a woman he didn't have and if her date with Naruto went like he imagined, she'd never be his.

He shouldn't feel so angry about that. He should be fine. He should not care.

But he did.

Instead of thinking of a way to help his brother, explain to his brother the truth and make sure that Sasuke would not turn against the village out of anger and bitterness, she was the only thing his mind could process.

Until she returned from that… _date with Naruto,_ he would not be able to think of anything else.

Suddenly the door opened and someone walked inside. The said person didn't say anything and just came closer to him and touched his blankets. Reflexively, he caught the hand of that person.

"Who are you?"

The person didn't say anything for a moment and just let out a sound as he tightened his hold. It was a woman. That had to be a female's voice. "I am a medic," she told him and he instantly loosened his hold of her hand but didn't let it go.

He stayed silent for a moment as the female stayed still. "Where is Hinata?" he asked in suspicion. Since he came to the hospital the only person that took care of him was Hinata and sometimes Tsunade came to tell him about his condition and give him instructions.

No one else but Hinata.

The medic pulled her hand away from him and he didn't resist. "She called and asked me to take over for the afternoon."

"Why?" he snapped at her in anger, surprising himself even more with the sudden emotions he felt. It wasn't the way he was used to feel. He wasn't supposed to be that angry.

The medic didn't say anything. She just moved inside the room and he heard her pick up the papers about his condition. After a while he heard her put them back at the place and walk again closer to her. "She said she wasn't feeling very well and she needed to rest." she told him as she walked closer to him again and took his hand. "Well she hasn't taken any break since you were assigned to her and she has been spending so much time running to you and your brother that she must be exhausted." She let go of his hand. "I think she deserves a rest."

She started walking away, her shoes making too much noise, more than they did when she came in….

"Are you my brother's teammate?" he asked as she was opening the door. He had heard from Hinata about the pink-haired medic's crush on his brother, the devotion that she and Naruto shared to him. If what Hinata had told him was true – that his brother nearly didn't talk to anyone – then the medic would be angry and jealous perhaps by the sudden attention his brother gave to Hinata.

Thus the anger… the angry way of walking. The sound of shoes stamping on the floor…. Itachi was impressed with himself. He had never thought that he could analyze the emotions of the people around him by the sound of body movements.

It was a whole new point of view on life and humans.

"Yes, I am," she answered. "My name is Haruno Sakura."

"Then I should apologize for that time we battled while you were trying to save the Kazekage. I don't remember if I hurt you specifically but I did make you get caught in a genjutsu, along with your teammates." he said in a low, apologizing tone.

"Don't worry about it." she told him after a moment. He heard the door close slowly and thought that the girl had left the room. "Can I ask you something?" suddenly asked she.

He nodded.

"Did you….?" She started. "I mean… was it _your _idea that Hinata would…?" she stopped talking and took a big breath. "That she'd go talk to Sasuke?"

"No." he replied. _Actually she didn't even ask me._

"Do you know…. _why _she did it?"

Itachi didn't reply immediately and thought of their discussion when she confessed to him that she had gone to see his brother and convince him to talk to him. "I think it's because she has that desire to make somehow everything to be right again." _What she considers right at least._

The medic let out a small laugh.

"What?"

He heard her walk closer to him and he suddenly felt her body warmth as she sat on the chair next to his bed, where Hinata usually sat. "Sasuke has spent the majority of his life _hating _you. _Killing you _has become his reason for existing. It's not just that he has difficulty believing you about anything you might say… he has a difficulty living a life without you as his enemy." She told him. "You ensured that." She added after a moment.

"You still care about him?" he asked after a moment of awkward silence.

Sakura didn't answer immediately. "I don't know." she replied in a thoughtful tone. "I mean… he has played a very important role in my life and I did think I was in love with him for a lot of years but…" she stopped talking for a moment. "But I can't just ignore what he has done and that he does not care at all about us."

"So you just can't help loving him?"

"No," she replied. "I just don't know… I don't know if I really still love him like I did or if I just want to save him for the sake of our old relationship. I mean… he tried to kill _Naruto_. And Naruto fought him for _me, _because I asked him to, even if he wanted to hunt him down for himself as well. He also did it for _me._"

"If Naruto died because of Sasuke and Sasuke had a change of heart, I wouldn't be able to accept him back." she told Itachi. "He is not that important in my life, not after everything he has done." She didn't talk anymore and just stayed there thinking what she had said herself moments ago. "Do you hate him?" she murmured at Itachi, like she didn't even realize that she was voicing that question not just thinking of it.

Itachi didn't answer immediately. And this hesitation to deny hating his own brother scared him.

_Did he? Could he hate him? Sasuke, his baby brother that he swore he would always protect and love?_

"No. I will always love my brother," he immediately answered. It was part of his nature to love Sasuke, to put him above everything and everyone else. "But in my darkest hours there is a small voice in my head that blames Sasuke for how miserable my life has been the past years." It was always followed by the horrible feeling of shame. Sasuke was and would always be his victim, even if Itachi did what he did for Sasuke. Blaming him for his life choices would be ludicrous and cruel. He was the adult when the massacre happened. Sasuke was just a little boy.

And yet… there were these traitorous voices in his head that would appear from time to time.

Itachi sighed and Sakura hesitantly reached for his hand. The moment she touched it, he tensed but didn't move away. "I don't know exactly what happened - I think very few people do in the village – but I just wanted to say…." She let out a sign and squeezed his hand. "I will give you the benefit of the doubt. Innocent until proven guilty. The case is being re-opened so until a new decision is made by the Hokage and the council, I do not have the right to judge you based on rumours."

"But I am guilty. I am a bad man," he told her.

"Maybe," she admitted. "You did kill your own family after all… but Tsunade-sama has reasons that justify your actions… and that's enough for me. If these reasons are enough to declare you legally and publicly innocent, I will accept my leader's decision."

"You are so obedient…" he told her with a slight contempt – and maybe even bitterness. He had also been so loyal before… and the price he paid was very high.

"No… not really," she replied to the older shinobi. "I just know that if someone who has been so hurt as Tsunade-sama, can find a way to forgive and explain your behaviour… then that reason she has must be a pretty important one."

"Is that the reason you don't completely reject my brother? Because of the excuse he has that justifies his actions? That he was so hurt and damaged?"

"No," she replied. "It's because I want him to be saved. I want him to be happy somewhere along the way…"

Itachi didn't answer immediately but had a slightly shocked look on his face for just a moment before he had his emotional façade again on. "You… _pity him_?"

"A little," she said and felt some tears ran down her face. "He is… so empty. His life is so empty." She got up and wiped quickly the tears that ran down her face. "I have to go now. I have more patients to visit," she added in a hurry and walked towards the door.

"I am sorry," Itachi said to the pink-haired woman. "Part of that is my fault," he added.

She stopped as she was going to exit the room. She didn't move. Then slowly, she went a step back and closed the door. "Yes… you are," she agreed. "But he is not that innocent either." She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at the blind man. "I am not stupid, you know." she said suddenly. "I may have been a bit spoiled and narrow minded when I was younger but I am not like that anymore." She walked again closer to him, biting slightly her lip. "I compared him with Naruto… both of them suffered during their childhoods. Both of them were lonely…" she stopped to talk and clenched her fists "Naruto was _hated _nearly from the day he was born for something that wasn't his fault, he wasn't _even aware of, _but he didn't become a traitor… he didn't choose the easy way of hating everyone and giving in to that hate."

"Unlike my brother?"

"Your brother could have had much more than he did…" she told Itachi angrily. "He could have but never accepted it. I am not blaming him because I can't even imagine the pain he was in – still is – because of everything he lived through but I also can't help but think that… he is so weak. Emotionally weak." She felt tears ran down her face, "This makes me so angry because the reason I liked him from the very start was because he was cool and strong, the best of all in my eyes… and he now is… _not enough_. He is lacking. I just am so angry and sad because he ended up being what he is now."

Itachi didn't say anything to the woman as he heard her breath in distress, guessing that she was probably crying. Because of repressed emotions… emotions she didn't want to have for his brother. "I know how you feel," he told the girl.

He did. He really did. That was how he had felt when he learnt about his clan's plans. Angry.

"It hurts when people are not what you want them to be. It hurts that there is no one else to blame but yourself for not seeing what they really were. It makes you so angry and yet you can't express that anger, because it is not their fault."

Sakura nodded. "But this thought doesn't make the anger go away."

"It doesn't," he agreed with her. "Time will just make your mind get away from it."

"I keep thinking about it every moment that I am not occupied with something else. Like it's always there and I am so angry all the time," she said and he heard the anger in her voice.

Yes, he knew that feeling of despair and anger. He knew how consuming it was. And he also knew that behind all of it there was a traitorous love that could not be cast away, no matter what one's logic and mind said. The heart, even Itachi's heart, could not be silenced.

"You know the way out of it." Itachi told her. "Get a life that will be so full that you won't have time to think," he advised Sakura. "You said you have more patients to visit."

She nodded. "I do," she started walking away and as she exited the room, she turned and smiled at Itachi. "Thank you," she told him and left.

"You are welcome," Itachi said to himself.

XXXXX

Naruto waited for Hinata outside of the Hospital. He found himself quite looking forward to seeing the Hyuga Heiress. He had grown to respect her quite a bit and felt a deep desire to get to know her better. She was a bit weird, yes. That was true but…. Somehow the weirdness that made him once find her a little bit unappealing was not that important now. It was more like a behavioral quirk that could be called cute. Like her blushing and fainting… she was a bit of damsel in distress and a strong ninja at the same time.

He couldn't put his finger on what that interest he had suddenly developed was, but he was well too aware that it was there and he couldn't ignore it. Honestly, Naruto was not good at ignoring things generally once he noticed them. It was either all or nothing.

"Naruto!" Hinata called as she ran towards him from the Hospital's entrance steps.

Naruto also had to admit that her connection with Itachi and, by extension, Sasuke did play a role in his interest in her. She could be… no, was already, a good friend and he felt oddly protective of her suddenly. "Hi, Hinata," he greeted the girl. "Ready to go?"

The girl nodded and smiled at him. "You didn't have to wait for me, Naruto-kun. I thought we agreed to meet at the ramen stand."

"I know but then I thought it'd be nicer for us to walk together and start eating together," he answered back.

"That's very kind of you, Naruto-kun." There was a moment of silence between them until Hinata spoke again. "So, do you want to go to Ichiraku's?"

"I love ramen as you know." That was an understatement. Everyone in the _village_ knew that Naruto loved ramen, especially Ichiraku's. "But a comment by Sakura-chan some days ago made me realize that there might be people that like other foods more than ramen… so are you one of them?"

Hinata smiled. "Honestly, Naruto-kun… I… I… I am a fan of homemade food so any place outside is equally good to me, but not as good as my cooking," she admitted and smiled at the blond man, with a confidence that she did not have that often with the young man.

"Well… I never thought you'd be so humble, Hinata," Naruto joked. "So Ichiraku's for today." She nodded in agreement.

Having found some hidden confidence that was very out of character for her she took a chance and decided to try and make one of her secret thoughts less of a secret. "Naruto-kun…" she started and then a feeling of panic attacked her.

_No!_ She had to battle through it. No hesitance, no stuttering!

"Mmm…?" he looked at her with those gorgeous blue eyes and she felt ready to melt. Those beautiful blue eyes that she wanted since she was a little girl to fill with happiness and laughter.

"Since you are aware of my humbleness now…. I am very good at making ramen," she started, forcing her voice to come out of her throat. " My ramen is much better than Ichiraku's actually."

"If you may say so, of course," Naruto interjected. "You should make it someday for me. As a ramen lover, I would be the expert to decide whether it is actually better than old man's at Ichiraku or not."

Hinata bit the inside of her mouth to not show that she was too excited about that idea. "Next time we eat together, I'll cook for you then."

"Okay."

The rest of their walk was jumping from one small thing to the next and both of them were relaxed in the company of one another. That was, Naruto realized, one of the first and longest actual conversations the two of them had actually had.

"Hinata?" he suddenly asked as she was talking about training something taijutsu related. "I never knew you were so interesting. We should have talked like that years ago."

Hinata blushed and felt the need to faint. But no! This was her chance to get close to the boy she had been chasing after since childhood. "That was probably my fault. I was… still am actually but I am getting better… a little… anti-social and intimidated by most people."

"Thus the fainting and blushing nearly every time I talked to you."

"I AM getting better," she insisted and crossed her arms.

There was a small pout on her face and somehow a though formed in Naruto's mind that took him by surprise. _Cute_. "Keep up the good work, Hinata," he encouraged her. "I like triers," he added in a low voice after a moment. Hinata smiled as she heard it and saw that they had finally reached the stand.

'You wanted to ask me something, Naruto-kun. What was it?"

It was about Sasuke and Itachi but Naruto was not in the mood to talk about the two brothers at the moment.

_I'll ask her another time. Next time we meet, _he decided and shook his head. "Forgot about it," he grinned and scratched the back of his head. "No reason to not enjoy a nice meal though and keep getting to know one another."

Hinata nodded and smiled at the blond-haired man. "So, as a regular customer, what do you suggest I order?"

And the two of them enjoyed a very nice mean full of light-hearted conversation and laughter and both of the teenagers finding themselves having common interests and opinions.

Hinata was ecstatic when she returned home and lay on her bed, he heart pounding fast. She was exhausted and yet sleep eluded her. She was just too happy to sleep at that moment.

XXXX

"Good morning, Itachi!" she greeted her patient with a huge smile on her face, her happiness from the previous day still present inside her.

Itachi did not fail to notice that.

"I am sorry I didn't come yesterday afternoon and evening. I asked a medic friend of mine to come and I assure you she is the best you could find, better than me actually."

"It's fine. You have the right to take some time off," he replied. "She was pleasant enough."

Hinata didn't know how to respond initially. It was a good thing that he was not displeased by someone else's present, right? "She is a very nice girl."

She was very happy and Itachi noticed that. And she was happy because she spent her meal with Naruto. He thought he'd be irrationally jealous but at that moment at least he felt indifferent. It was her life, she could do whatever she wanted.

But that did not mean he didn't want to know more about her meal with him. _Harmless gossip._

He conveniently failed to mention to himself that he had never cared about gossiping with other people. He had always liked to eavesdrop on other people's conversation, a trait imprinted on a spy, but he never discussed it with anyone.

Harmless gossip for a man that was restricted to a bed. All these would go away once he was able to start training again and get out of that room. Once he was able to do that, all these weird dependent feelings on her would go away as well.

Itachi wanted to believe that. And like he had told his brother's teammate the other solution for thoughts that do not leave your mind and can drive a person mad is just to keep himself so busy that Itachi would not have the time to think about them.

* * *

><p>I would like to know what any of you that might read this think but in no way are you obligated to do it. Have a nice day!<p> 


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